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Time for a Cleaning?

Research shows that good oral health may actually prevent certain chronic diseases from occuring. In addition to brushing at least twice a day, visiting a dentist every six months can help to keep your mouth in top shape!

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The Columbia-Harlem Homeless Medical Partnership (CHHMP) is a student-run clinic providing free and quality health services to the uninsured, underinsured, and homeless communities in New York. We welcome all patients to clinic without regard for your insurance status, ability to pay, documentation status, or primary language.

Operating from the basement of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 126th Street and Broadway every Tuesday evening (5:30pm-7:30pm; no appointments necessary!), the clinic provides basic medical care, health education and referrals to a variety of social services. Basic dental care is available every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month while occupational therapy care is available every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

To ensure continuity for students and patients, the same group of medical students, residents and attending physicians commit to working at the clinic on a weekly basis, with plenty of time for each patient encounter and for students to take extensive social histories, which often lead to referrals for social services. Health education is also an integral part of every visit.

In the addition to the provision of quality and continuous care, CHHMP is also focused on deepening the education of student-clinicians in learning about the health and social needs of the community, the challenges of providing healthcare to underserved populations and advocacy for these populations.

CHHMP was established in May 2007 by Columbia University medical students in partnership with the Center for Family and Community Medicine (CFCM). Columbia University medical students see patients under the supervision of Dr. James Spears and Dr. Urmi Desai, CFCM faculty physicians, with additional support from Family Medicine residents.